Building absorptive capacity in less developed countries The case of Tanzania

Astrid Szogs (), Cristina Chaminade and Ruzana Azatyan ()
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Astrid Szogs: CIRCLE, Lund University, Postal: PO Box 117, Sölvegatan 16, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Ruzana Azatyan: Lund University, Postal: Sweden

No 2008/5, Papers in Innovation Studies from Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research

Abstract: African countries lag clearly behind developed countries when it comes to accumulating technological capabilities, upgrading and catching up. Also, firms in least developed countries are characterised by very low levels of absorptive capacity. It is therefore crucial to understand how this capacity can be build so that the indigenous firms can benefit from external knowledge sources. Drawing on case study material, this paper investigates the role of intermediate organizations in facilitating technological knowledge transfer between the university and the indigenous SMEs, discussing how capabilities are built during such intermediation. Particularly, we discuss the role of NGOs facilitating the transfer of knowledge between universities and SMEs in Tanzania and the accumulation of new technological capabilities (absorptive capacity) in the latter.

Keywords: Systems of innovation; absorptive capacity; Tanzania; innovation; NGOs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2008-06-01
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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